Dad's 66 230S has been in his driveway for 3 years now and he just gave it to me. I know I should have the fuel tank taken off and professionally cleaned... also clean-out the fuel lines (like I would clean a rifle barrel), new fuel filter, etc., but when we started it the other day... it wouldn't idle. Trickling fuel down the two carb throats' primary tubes kept it running (roughly) enough to have gotten fuel up from the tank to the fuel pump, but it seemed that the carbs were either not getting their float chambers filled, or that perhaps they were 'gummed-up' with old fuel, or perhaps the fuel pump diaphram has dryed-out and cracked. I'm a fairly good home garage-type mechanic, and love to do as much maint. and repair to it and to my 82 240D as I'm able... but rebuilding these Zenith INATs is way over my head. Should I have them rebuilt, if so what am I looking at ($-wise), or should I consider replacing them with more simplified Webers. Where should I start, to get her up and running again? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The ggod thing about the Redline kit K245 is new carbs calibrated for the engine, the linkages are new, and it is less than a 3 hour installation. The 'bad' is the cost:

K 245 65-72 220SB, 230, 230S, 250, 250S 6 CYL equipped with dual Zenith 35/40 INAT carburetors(Features dual Weber 32/36 DGEV Carburetor) $840.34
http://www.alamomotorsports.com/weber/mercedes_carb.html

Also, see this thread: Can anyone recommend a good rebuilder for the Zeniths?

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1970 280S M130 engine- good runner
1971 250 M130 engine- #2 rod bearing, gone
1971 280SE (blown engine,parts car)
1977 German 280S W116-only 33 years old

I would not worry about cleaning the lines or tank right away. The carbs are probably gummed up though and need a rebuild though.

ON the other things I would take a wait and see approach. They may be just fine.

Tom W

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

If you end up tossing the Zeniths, I'll take them! With my recent experiences over the past month or so, I'd say make em' work and keep em'. I have the more expensive JAM kit on my car. If I had it to do over, I would have saved the money and just fixed my Zeniths. Just my .02, others will disagree.

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1967 230S automatic
Boston, MA

I've been down this road with zeniths a few times... I started much like you, with a 240D I wasn't afraid of working on, but fear of opening up the carbs. I ended up putting my fears aside with the attitude "if I really mess it up badly, I still have the 240D to drive!" Don't give up on those Zeniths just yet... when they're setup right, they work great and car return 20mpg on the highway.

The Zeniths are complicated like any carbs, but as long as you're careful when you take them apart, you shouldn't have any problem. Remove the carbs from the intake manifold. You might need to remove the valve cover to provide easier access to the inside mounting bolts. Goto the auto parts store and buy the paint bucket of crab cleaner... the kind with the parts basket inside. This stuff works great. Work outside, as this stuff really smells. You might want to use a digital camera to document which parts go where as you disassemble, or at least make good notes.

In addition, do some reading online or at the library to learn about carb theories and basic principles. Keep these in mind when doing the work so you have a clear goal about how things need to work when you get things back together.

You'll need a gasket kit... Mercedes has one available, and I've found its the only on that actually has the correct gaskets. The carbs have changed alot over the years and there are many different style gaskets available. Make sure you use gaskets that are EXACTLY the same as the ones you remove... really study them, use a razor to modify them if necessary.

If you're lucky, your carbs are just really gummed up and need to be cleaned out (I've been this lucky twice, so far). If you're not lucky, they're warpped due to overheating, the shafts have some play (which are vacuum leaks), or parts of broken missing. If you get some used carbs for parts, make sure they're from the same car/model year to ensure the parts are useful to you.

By some miracle, I just found the part numbers to the MB carb kits in my notes from a few years back:
MB Gasket kit: 000 586 01 07 (my notes say $47)
MB Rebuild kit: 000 586 83 07 (my notes say $162, probably worth it)

The aftermarket kits are useful, but the main gaskets are wrong, and will cause running problems... I struggled with this for a long time and finally had a well setup car after using the MB kits. Which ever kit you use, make sure you change the secondary diaphragms...

This maybe useful to you also:
http://www.jaimekop.com/CarbManual/

Please post your decisions and progress, and good luck!!

Jaime
'95 E320 wagon
'84 300TD
'80 280SE euro

Nothin' like having the man that wrote the book!

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1970 280S M130 engine- good runner
1971 250 M130 engine- #2 rod bearing, gone
1971 280SE (blown engine,parts car)
1977 German 280S W116-only 33 years old

Thanks y'all for the great counsel. The webbers look tempting, but I'm going to likely keep her as orig. as possible. I'll have them rebuilt... if, after serious study, like you recommend, I still think I'm not qualified. Again, much thanks.

You can do it!!
I took mine apart and I have no mechanical experience! It's very tedious work with so many little parts! But if you can find the space and be fairly organized, just follow the book! It definately looks more daunting than it really is. It's not that big of a deal and what you end up with is such a sense of accomplishment!

DO IT DO IT DO IT!!!!

~Christy